Holy Island Trilogy 02 - Nowhere Man (7 page)

Smiler gasped, as Mike turned away from him.

As the ambulance came to a stop, Mike jumped up and was at the door before any of them.

Stepping in front of him, the paramedic said, as the doors were opening, ‘I really do think you need to get that wound looked at, and you need your head seeing to.’

Katrina couldn’t help but smile. The paramedic, noticing this, realised what he’d said. ‘Oh… I didn’t mean it that way. Sorry.’ Looking away, he grinned to himself.

‘Just get me the forms to sign, will you? I’m outta here.’ Ignoring Kristina and Smiler, who both kept insisting that he stayed, he stepped down from the ambulance.

Having arrived a couple of minutes earlier, Cox was standing at the bottom of the steps and had heard everything.

‘You will stay, Mike, and that’s an order!’ Immediately Cox regretted what he’d said. Orders were the wrong way to go with Mike. But he had to follow through. ‘It's in the rule book, Mike-if anything should happen when you’re on duty…  Anyhow, you know all this, don’t you?’

Mike gritted his teeth. He knew that Cox was right, but he needed to get away now while the trail was still there. He looked down at his shoes, but he was seeing the car, the blue car with the number plate SHE 971.

‘OK. But once the check's over, I’m off.’

Behind him, Smiler heaved a sigh of relief and Katrina put her hand on Mike’s arm. Shaking her hand off, with an impatient gesture, he strode into the hospital.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

Watching Mike go, Smiler seized the opportunity to quickly visit Aunt May. As he rushed past the cafeteria, he remembered that he’d had nothing at all to eat since breakfast time. His stomach rumbled as he smelt food.

Should I grab something now? he thought. Mike’s gonna be ages yet, 'cause he’ll probably have to have x-rays and stuff. His stomach rumbled again.

Ham sandwich it is, I guess. Hope they don’t have them all smothered with mayonnaise. Why do they do that?

He checked his pockets and came up with seven pounds in change. Might be enough for two, 'cause Brother David hasn’t had anything either. Shit - neither has Mike.

‘Guess it's crisps all round, then,’ he muttered.

Turning in mid stride, he was passing through the doors when a black shadow seemed to float in front of him, making his vision blurred, and thickening quickly whichever way he looked. He stepped closer, and it grew even thicker. The hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Seriously freaked out, Smiler backed away and the vision faded, moved forward again and it grew back.

‘OK, so it's obvious, whatever it is, it doesn’t want me going in there. So where does it want me to go, and why?’ he mumbled at the slowly swirling blackness, receiving a strange look from a nurse who quickly squeezed past him.

‘Oh, friggin’ hell,’ he said a moment later, all hunger forgotten. ‘Aunt May!’

He ran for the stairs, bypassing the lift as there were at least ten people waiting. Taking the stairs two at a time, he reached Aunt May’s floor in a few minutes. He raced along the corridor, slowing as he came to her room. Stopping before anyone inside could see him, he cautiously peeped around the door.

Where’s Brother David?  he thought with a frown, as he saw a nurse he hadn’t seen before. She had dark curly hair and a stocky but shapely figure, and it looked like she was filling a syringe up from a small bottle she had taken out of her pocket.

What’s that for? Smiler wondered.

Reaching for one of the tubes, the nurse was about to inject the contents of the bottle when Smiler walked through the door and said, ‘What are you doing?’

She turned quickly and frowned at him. ‘What’s it got to do with you? Go away.’

‘I’ve never seen you before. Who are you, and where’s her regular nurse?’

Staring at her, Smiler felt his heart beat begin to quicken. There was something quite wrong here, he sensed it - his skin felt as if it was crawling over his body. Frightened, but determined to protect Aunt May whatever the cost, he moved forward until he was standing at the end of the bed. In his typically blunt way, he repeated, ‘So who are you? You’re definitely not the regular nurse, 'cause I’ve never seen you before.’

Still standing with the syringe in her hand, she replied, ‘Obviously I am a nurse, and who are you?’

‘She’s my Aunt May, OK, and I’m gonna get the doc.’

‘I wouldn’t if I were you.’

‘Why, what you gonna do to stop me?’ As he asked the question Smiler was shaking inside, even though he was putting on quite a swagger as he moved closer. Her dark eyes were piercing right through him. He’d seen eyes like that before, on the streets, when all hope had gone, eyes with no soul. The bearer of those eyes was capable of anything.

Praying he could keep it together, and without thinking it through, he quickly moved around the side of the bed. At the same moment, she leapt over the bed, a knife held high in her hand. Smiler grabbed a vase of yellow roses from the bedside cabinet and threw them at her. Ducking, she dropped the syringe but held onto the knife. Dripping wet, her arms covered in thorns, she screamed, and was about to lunge again when a deep voice stopped her in her tracks.

‘What the----?’ said Brother David from the doorway. As Smiler stood in front of the tubes that were attached to Aunt May, he was prepared to defend her as best he could, but breathed a sigh of relief when Brother David appeared, so much bigger than he-and so much bigger than the nurse.

Taking the opportunity of Brother David’s surprise entry, she swung quickly around Smiler, and before he could react she was gone.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

‘Can you tell me what she looked like?’ Cox asked Smiler. ‘Think hard.’ They were sitting in one of the offices on the top floor of the hospital, each of them nursing a cup of coffee, while Aunt May -- still unaware of anything that was going on around her - was being transferred, with two guards, to a more secure room on the other side of the building.

Tearing the wrapper off a cheese and pickle sandwich that Brother David had brought back for him, Smiler described the woman in as much detail as he could. Brother David agreed, adding a three inch tattoo on her calf that Smiler had missed.

‘So, what sort of tattoo?’ Cox asked, as Brother David swivelled round in his chair-the setting sun was glaring into his eyes. He moved the chair closer to Cox.

‘It was just a glance. I thought it was blood at first. I think it was an animal, some sort of horse, only a lot of red in it, black writing inside of the horse and on the outside. That’s about it, really, except...  I’m not sure, mind, but I think there might have been two horses, both of them standing on their back legs, sort of back to back. She was very quick, too. Never seen anyone scramble so quickly before, she’s obviously very athletic.’

‘Either of you seen her around the hospital before?’

Smiler looked at Brother David and shrugged. Brother David shook his head. Smiler, having devoured one of the sandwiches that Brother David had brought back for him, the other still in his hand, stood up and started edging towards the door. ‘Can I go now? I really want to see Aunt May and Mike.’

Cox rubbed his chin. ’Hmm. Yeah, sure. Just one thing, and I know this is a stupid question, but can anyone think of a reason why someone should want to hurt Aunt May? There have now been two attempts on her life in the past twenty-four hours. Rather strange, don’t you think?’

‘No one she knows, that’s definite. Not a better person alive in the whole world, anyone will tell you that. But you already know this, Jason, you’ve met her a few times… Perhaps it's some
thing
that
she knows,’ Brother David said.

Smiler hung his head. Looking at him, Cox frowned before asking, ‘What else do you know, Smiler? After all, you were right about Mike being in danger.’

‘Nothing… I don’t know any more than what I said.’ But Smiler had spoken far too quickly for Cox’s liking. Not for nothing did Mike call him the Ferret.

‘So explain how you knew Mike was, for all intents and purposes, hanging off the edge of a cliff. I mean, it’s not something a lot of us can do, is it?’

‘What, hang off the edge of a cliff? Easy,’ Smiler snapped.

‘You know what I mean, Smiler.’

Smiler sighed. ‘Rita. It was Rita, most times it’s…Rita. She’s been at it for a long time. Much longer than me. She knows a lot. Me, I’m just a learner.’

‘Most times? Does this happen often?’

Smiler shrugged. ‘You don’t need to know. Mike’s right, he says the less anyone knows the safer you’ll be.’ Smiler was becoming very uncomfortable with all the questions and, anxious to see both Aunt May and Mike, he moved to the doorway.

‘Smiler?’ Brother David said. ‘Where are you going?’

‘Mind your own business,’ he suddenly snapped. ‘It’s got nothing to do with you.’ He spun round to Cox. ‘And you neither, so fuck off, both of you.’ Quickly he left them and headed downstairs.

‘What the----?’ Cox frowned.

Brother David shrugged, and held out his hands, palm up. ‘Mike said he gets like that sometimes.’

Cox sighed. ‘No one in the hospital fits the description you gave me earlier. Well, actually a couple come close, but they all have concrete alibis for the time. One was in the operating theatre, and the other was on the kids' ward, entertaining half a dozen of them. We can only assume it's something to do with this business that Mike wants to keep to himself.’

‘And we all know how stubborn he can be when he wants to.’

Cox smiled. ‘Too right.’

‘OK, if you’re finished with me?’

‘Certainly. I’ll pop along later, see how she’s getting on.’

‘Right then. I’ll be off.’

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

‘Look, I know you want to get out of here,' the doctor said, ‘but you have had a severe knock to your head. My advice is to stay in overnight at least, so that we can keep an eye on you. A blow to the head can be very dangerous, and sometimes even hours later the consequences can be devastating.’

‘Thanks, Doc,' Mike muttered.

The doctor held up his hand and quickly said, ‘Not that I’m saying anything is going to happen, mind you, just that it's always best to be on the safe side.’

Mike chewed it over, knowing that the doctor was right, and that he personally would call anyone a fool for ignoring the advice. ‘OK, one night. First light, I’m outta here.’

The doctor smiled his relief. ‘So, if you would just rest now… I can give you something to help you relax, if you need it.’

‘No thank you!’

‘OK.’ The doctor was just about to leave the room when Smiler came in.

‘Hi, Mike. You all right, then?’

‘Yes.’

Feeling awkward and obviously unwelcome, Smiler sighed and stared at his feet. Why was Mike doing this?

The doctor could sense the tension in the room. His job here done, he decided to leave them alone. ‘OK then, I’ll be off. I’m glad you’ve seen sense and decided to stay, it’s mostly a precaution. You should be perfectly fine after a good night's sleep.’

Staring at Smiler, Mike grunted an answer and, shrugging, the doctor left, muttering under his breath, ’Bloody patients, know it all, they think they do.’

Ignoring him, Mike said, ‘Why are you still here?’

‘Why are you being such a fucking pain in the arse?' Smiler retorted.

This brought a twitch of a smile to Mike’s lips. He thought about it before saying, ‘Right, Smiler, you know why, you’re far from friggin' stupid. But I’ll spell it out for you, yes? This is the first attempt on my life, and it won't be the last. You know this, and I don’t need you or bloody Rita to tell me, OK?’

‘You should listen, Mike. Rita knows what she’s talking about,’ Smiler muttered.

‘To hell with Rita. It’s a load of friggin' rubbish. How many times do I have to tell you, for God’s sake? Get it through your thick head, it’s all a coincidence.’

‘It’s not,’ Smiler replied stubbornly. ‘ Your mind is too closed, Mike, you only ever see everyday things. And there is no such thing as coincidence.’

Mike shook his head in exasperation. ‘Again, how many times do I have to say it? I don’t believe in your mumbo jumbo. I’ve told you till I’m fucking sick of telling you... I do not want any of you hurt through being close to me. I am truly sorry if I’ve hurt your feelings, but it’s the only way to get through to you. For your own good, I do not want you around me. Any of you,’ he added, his eyes narrowing as Kristina and Cox walked in the door.

‘I’ve ordered extra guards for you and your Aunt May, Mike.

Should help you get a night's sleep, at least,’ Cox said. ‘Are you feeling any better?’

Mike nodded. ‘Yes, and thanks.’ Although sleep was the last thing on his mind, he knew that he needed it, would have to have it. He had to be fresh for what was coming.

‘There’s also guards on the entrance, plus a half dozen or so scattered around the hospital. Anyone behaving the least bit suspiciously will be stopped at once.’

‘Just make sure she’s all right, that’s all I ask.’

Cox looked him in the eye. ’You know we’ll do our best. But you, what do you plan on doing tomorrow?’

‘Like he’s gonna tell us,’ Smiler butted in.

Gently putting her hand on Smiler’s arm, Kristina shushed him.

As if Smiler had never spoken, Mike said to Cox, ‘Can’t say, but I’ll keep in touch.’ He swung his face towards Kristina, and felt a small stab in his heart. She had re-awoken feelings he thought he had lost forever.

Bad timing, kiddo. For the foreseeable future, my life’s on hold.

‘How can I help?’ Kristina asked.

‘You can’t.’

‘Please, Mike.’ She moved to the side of his bed. ‘Don’t shut me out, not now.’

But Mike refused to look at her. Staring at the wall, he said, ‘Can’t you see? I have no choice. When I get to the bottom of this, if I think it’s safe to involve you, I will. All of you.’

‘But----’

Mike ignored her.  As if she’d never spoken, he said. ’Go away…All of you.’

Cox heaved a loud sigh, and they all turned to him. ‘It seems that I know the least. What I do know is that if you say it’s dangerous for us all, then I believe you, and whatever you want me to do, you just have to say the word.’